Tape-dispensing machine



'A. P. KRUEGER ETAL 2,579,149

TAPE-DISPENSING MACHINE Filed June 18, 1947 I0 ",1! u as" Patented Dec. 18, 1 951 umrso stares PATENT OFFICE Alfred 4 Krueger, stratford, and Oscar P. Q-Erhardt, Derby, Gomn, .assignors to :Derby c :fiealers'lncnrplorated, Derby, Conn, a corpoation o fionnecticut er li eiion M9 18 .se i l 5- 3 is Claims. (01. 242-555) -This invention relates to tape-dispensing :machines, and more particularly to a device-tor. dispensing pressure-sensitive tape, ortape which is tacky or clingable upon onesurface.

lape of a this character is usually-supplied upon rolls comprising aseries-of windings ofthetape upona-hollow spool, the tape being wound with the tacky side inward. Such spools are-sometimes supported upon the frame of dispensing inachines by a. drum or .the like, whichis rotatably mounted and which fits interiorly the a spool uponwhichlthe tape-is wound. I

'fLhe present invention .relatesparticularly to simple and effective-means forsuppo-rtingthe' roll oftape in themachine and for providing for'the efficient feeding of the tape from the roll. In the-present instance-this feeding-is accomplished by'the operatorgrasping-the free endof the tape and drawing it forwardly, andkabutment- -means, such as rollers, are provided against which the forward .outer surface of the supply -roll bears during the feeding operation I In addition, a tear-voifblade is provided by means. ofwhichlthe tape may be readilysevered after a'suflicient quantity has been drawn from the roll, and also means are providedwhich will normally hold .the free end of thetape-ina posi tion in which ital-maybe readily 'g'rasped-and'mrevent :the tape .from "clinging to or following the surfaceloi the rollers against -which-the supply roll rests.

inneobject of theinventionistoprovide-anew and improved tape-dispensing machine.

.A lfurther' obj ect of the invention is to -provide a nape-dispensing machine having simple, Fecenomical, and efiective means for supporting-the supplyroll of tape. T

Av still further objectojf thezinventionis'to pro- Vide a. tape-dispensing machine dithechara'cter described having improved means jforfefi'ecting the severing of thetape and causing thef-ree end of tbetapeto stand .ina position in whichitmay ie-rea ily gr sped bytheoperator.

, :To these and other .ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations'ofrparts to be hereinafter-described and claimed.

In the accqmp nvined a n s gi ls,- Q s a side e evatiqnal view of tapedispensing machine embodying our invention, the ever p at.e b in om tted to, show the interior m an sm; r gl g i a front: eleyational view nfithe. device, a part oft-the casebeing broken away; and iies a ragmentar yiewgsimilar tone. :1,

hQWIR he-Parts in.emother.nosit i .v

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of our invention, we have shown in the drawingsa tape.- dispensing machine comprising a base I0, the base being supported upon feet I l which, in this instance, comprise suction cups, so that the device will rest firmly upon a flat supporting surface and will not tend to move or walk when tension is applied tothe tape to draw it from the roll.

'Secured to and upstanding from the frame is a side plate l2, which forms one wall of the casing. The top of'the casing is form-ed by an upper'plate 13 which may be formed integrally with, or secured to, the Wall l2, and there is also provided arelatively short front wall l4 leaving an open-. ing between the upper end of this wall and the forward portion of the top wall I3. The other side wall'is formed by a cover plate 15 which is hinged to the forward wall 14 by the pin l6 and to the topplate l3 by the pin ll; so that this wall maybe swung downwardly about the hinge pins toexpose the interior of the case and permit a supply roll of tape to be placed in the machine.

The cover plate may be retained in closed position by means of a clip l9 secured to-the Wall I2, this clip having resilient fingers between which is received a headed pin 20 secured to the cover plate l5.

Rotatably mounted to studs Al and 22,which are secured to the side plate I2, are feed rollers and 24. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, these rolle'rskare mounted adjacent the opening be-' tween the members l3 and i4 and are slightly spaced apart so as to permit the passage of the end-of the tape therethrough.

The-supply roll of tape is shown at 25, the tape being wound upon a hollow spool 26, and this spool may be conveniently supported in the case bymeans of a headed pin 21 secured to the plate l2,'the roll being confined between the head 28; of this pin and the side wall l2. It will be noted that this pin is disposed forwardly of the center of the supply 'roll of tape; and'the latter issup-f ported in'a pendent position thereon, so that it will tend to be urged forwardly by gravity toward the feed rolls 2; and 34. he latter rolls are so disposed that, asshown in Fig. lQwhen theparts are at restrthe outer surface of the tape upon the supply roll will rest againstthe lower roll 23; but will be slightly spaced from the upper roll 24L The reason or this will appear hereinafter.

(Means are provided by whichthe end of the tape may be severed or torn ofi when a sufiicient length has :been draw from the roll. This means .cumprises H a fiat tear-off blade 30 which extends forwardly from the lower surface of the roll 24 and in a plane substantially tangent to this roll, the blade 30 having integrally formed therewith side disks 3! and 32 which are secured to the pin 22 upon opposite sides of the roll 24. It will be understood that this tear-off member is rigidly supported, so that it will withstand the upward pressure of the tape thereagainst during the severing operation. Strengthening flanges 33 may be provided at each side of the blade 30, which flanges extend forwardly from the disks 3i and 32 to a point adjacent the forward edge of the blade. It will be understood that all of the parts of this tear-off mechanism may be integrally formed from sheet metal, for example, so as to be light in weight and manufactive .tape, a frame, a supply roll of tape mounted tured in a convenient and economical manner.

Pivotally mounted upon the stud 2| are a pair of disks 35 from which arms 36 extend forwardly, and rotatably mounted in the forward end of these arms is a roller 31 designed to lie adjacent the lower or tacky side of the tape as it issues below the roller 24. A light spring 38 is secured at one end to the plate l2 and at its other end to one of the disks 35 to normally hold the roller 31 in its upper position, shown in Fig. 3, and in full lines in Fig. 1.

When the cover plate I 5 of the device is swung downwardly to open position about the hinge pins l6 and H, a supply roll of tape may be placed in the casing and dropped upon the pin 21, the roll resting freely upon the pin and against the lower roller 23. The free end 39 of the tape ma then be drawn outwardly between the rollers 23 and 24. To enable the tape to be threaded between the rollers and brought out to a position to be grasped by the operator, the guide roller 3'! may be swung downwardly from its full-line position in Fig. l to the dotted-line position shown in that figure. The parts will then normally lie in the position shown in Fig. 1, in which the end 39 of the tape will lie adjacent the lower surface of the tear-off member 30, it being understood that the non-tacky side of the tape is upward and against the blade 30.

The operator may then, by placing his finger against the lower or tacky side of the end 39 of the tape, draw it outwardly until it may be grasped between the thumb and finger and a suflicient length drawn from the roll. As already explained, when the parts are at rest, the outer surface of the supply roll is slightly spaced from the adjacent surface of the roller 24. However, when tension is applied to the tape to draw it from the suppl roll, the latter will be" caused to move forwardly until the outer surface of the supply roll lies against the adjacent surface of the roller Z ljas shown in Fig. 3. It will also be noted that, as shown in the latter figure, the inner surface of the spool I2 is raised from contact with the body of the pin 21, so that the spool does not ride on this pin, the supply roll bearing only against the rollers 23 and 24 under the tension applied to the-free end 39.

As soon as a suflicient length of tape has been drawn from the roll, the free end may be drawn upwardly against the tear-off blade .38, as shown in Fig. 3, and the end of the tape severed. The roller 31 will prevent any-tendency of the free end of the tape to drop down 'upon, and cling to, the lower roller 23, so that this free end of the tape will always stand in anupward position where the lower tacky surfacemay be en-.

on the frame, a hollow spool upon which said roll is carried, a pin on the frame extending loosely within said hollow spool for freely suspending the latter, a pair of vertically spaced rollers mounted at the forward portion of the frame below said pin toward which the supply roll is urged by gravity, the tape being drawn from the frame between said rollers with its nontacky side in engagement with the upper one thereof, and means for preventing engagement of the free end of the tape with the other roll.

2. In a machine for dispensing pressure-sensitive tape, a frame, a supply roll of tape mounted on theframe, a hollow spool upon which said roll is carried, a pin on the frame extending loosely within said hollow spool for freely suspending the latter, a pair of vertically spaced rollers mounted at the forward portion of the frame below said pin toward which the supply roll is urged by gravity, the tape being drawn from the frame between said rollers with its'non-tacky side in engagement with the upper one thereof, means for preventing engagement of the free end of the tape with the other roll, and a severing member projecting forwardly from the upper roller in a plane substantially tangent to the lower surface thereof.

3. In a machine for dispensing. pressure-sensitive tape, a frame, a supply roll of tape mounted on the frame, a hollow spool upon which said roll'is carried, a pin. on the frame extending loosely within said hollow spool for freely suspending the latter, a pair of vertically spaced roll'ers mounted at the forward portion of the frame below said pin toward which the supply roll is urged by gravity, the tape being drawn from the frame betweensaidrollers with its nontacky side in engagement with the upper one thereof, and means for preventing engagement of the free end of the tape with the other. roll, said means comprising a pivoted roller mounted below the tape path andurged upwardly toward. theupper'roll. l 1

4. In a machine for dispensing pressure-sensitive tape, a frame, a supply roll of tape mounted on the frame, a hollow spool upon which said roll is carried, a pinon the frame extending loosely within said hollow spool for freely suspending the latter, a pair of vertically spaced rollers mountedat the forward portion of the frame below saidpin toward which the supply roll is urged by gravity, the tape being drawn from the frame between said rollers with its non-tacky side in engagement with the upper one thereof, a severingmember projecting forwardly from the upper roller in a plane substantially tangent to the lowersurfa'ce thereof, and a third rollerpivoted to the frame and urged upwardly into engage-' merit with the lower surface of the tape to hold the latter against said severing member l3.v A machine for dispensing pressure-sensitive,

gaged by the finger. When pressed against the 15 tape comprising a frame, a supply roll of tape 5 mounted on the frame, a hollow spool upon which said roll is carried, a pin on the frame extending loosely within said hollow spool for freely suspending the latter, a pair of vertically spaced rollers mounted on the frame forwardly of the supply roll relatively to the direction in which the tape is dispensed and at a level below said pin whereby the supply roll is drawn toward said rollers as the tape is pulled between the rollers with the non-tacky side in engagement with one thereof, and means for preventing engagement of the free end of the tape with the other of said rollers.

6. A machine for dispensing pressure-sensitive tape comprising a frame, a supply roll of tape w mounted on the frame, a hollow spool upon which said roll is carried, a pin on the frame extending loosely within said hollow spool for free- 1y suspending the latter, a pair of vertically spaced rollers mounted on the frame forwardly of the supply roll relatively to the direction in which the tape is dispensed and at a level below said pin whereby the supply roll is drawn toward 6 said rollers as the tape is pulled between the rollers with the non-tacky side in engagement with one thereof, and a severing member projecting forwardly from said one roller in a plane substantially tangent to the surface thereof with' which the non-tacky side of the tape engages.

ALFRED P. KRUEGER. OSCAR. P. ERHARDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 389,277 Zerr Sept. 11, 1888 1,816,385 Matthaei July 28, 1931 1,958,080 Bottker et al May 8, 1934 2,202,011 Krueger et al May 28, 1940 2,255,627 Steiner et al Sept. 9, 1941 2,278,029 Walsh et a1 Mar. 31, 1942 2,294,670 Krueger Sept. 1, 1942 2,424,486 Miller July 22, 1947 

